The Media

[Kevin Thomas Riley]

Come on KTR, using a reporters cover for a government agent happens often.

<snip>

Well, it kinda depends on who you're spying against. Against a foreign power would be considered more legitimate than domestic spying. Also if you're reporting on your own government's activities.

[Asso]

Subtle, maybe a little too much, but true.

[Aquarius]

Wow, a lot's happened while I was off studying today.

Just a few reactions as I was getting caught up:

1. Do we know that Vulcan doesn't have a media presence? It seems they've gotta get their information somehow. I mean, it'd be bland compared to Earth's, but you'd think their citizens would be staying on top of current events somehow.

2. Yes, TnT would be relatively insulated from media sensationalism on the Enterprise, but it's unlikely they would spend their entire lives there, especially if they get the "happily ever after" they've earned. At some point they're gonna end up dirtside.

3. Gloom and doom? I don't know about that. Things change, which means there's hope for a brighter future. People, on the other hand, don't change--or I should say. human nature doesn't. So while we may reign in how we behave, we will always still be curious about how other people live, what they have that we don't, the juicy details.

4. Terra Prime--well, all I can say is that in a climate of fear--post-Xindi attack--even reasonably bright people will react out of that fear, be confused and mistrustful. The climate on Earth is ripe for something like that.

[Aikiweezie]

1. Do we know that Vulcan doesn't have a media presence? It seems they've gotta get their information somehow. I mean, it'd be bland compared to Earth's, but you'd think their citizens would be staying on top of current events somehow.

I'd love to "see" a Vulcan newscast. It would probably make NPR look like TMZ or "E" News.

[Silverbullet]

KTR, reporting on your own governments activities is legitimate reporting news to the Public. Governments always try to inhibit Reporters and news agencies from finding out some things that would embarass an Administration or even bring it down. Same with the Military.

I am talkig about Reporters cover to hide an Agent of an Intelligence Agency. As I said the old Soviet Regime had a history of planting KGB types in the Soviet News Agency. For two reason: To keep an eye on the legitimate reporters and so the KGB agents could recrit people in other countries to work for the KGB. In addition to spying.

[Kevin Thomas Riley]

KTR, reporting on your own governments activities is legitimate reporting news to the Public. Governments always try to inhibit Reporters and news agencies from finding out some things that would embarass an Administration or even bring it down. Same with the Military.

Um, I work as an editor on a newspaper, you know.

But you're sort of making my point. Where does Gannet Brooks loyalties lie? With Starfleet Intel or with whatever new agency she works for?

I am talkig about Reporters cover to hide an Agent of an Intelligence Agency. As I said the old Soviet Regime had a history of planting KGB types in the Soviet News Agency. For two reason: To keep an eye on the legitimate reporters and so the KGB agents could recrit people in other countries to work for the KGB. In addition to spying.

Yes, but are you comparing "reporters" from a Communist dictatorship with reporters from an open democracy? Those Soviet "reporters" were reporters in name only. So what is Gannet Brooks?

[panyasan]

A couple of new ideas:
- first: in the last 50 years the media not only changed in a negative way, but also positive way. There is more freedom of speech then there was in the 50-ties and yes, that also means more room for stupid things to be expressed. It's all in the game.
- second: what about the influence of internet? The voice of the people in all that forums and news pages? I always thought that in the TNG area you would have the Starfleet database as the official internet and an underground internet for "normal" people. You can see I am not a big fan of the TNG thought that everything in controlled by Starfleet.

[Silverbullet]

Gannets loyalty would be to Starfleet because she would be working for a Starfleet Intelligence agency. I always wondered if she was in Section 31.

[Alelou]

I'd love to "see" a Vulcan newscast. It would probably make NPR look like TMZ or "E" News.

I'm in the library since our power is still out and this one made me giggle so much other people turned to look at me...!

[WarpGirl]

Well I've always thought that with the fact that Earth becomes united under one government, the way news is handled changes as well. One of ST's defining characteristics is the seeming lack of competativeness stemming from a purely commercial culture. It seems that in the ST universe on humanity's part greed for wealth is way down. I think that also would change things. Frankly I think the journalism would go back to the days of Walter Cronkite (for give me for misspelling) and that would be a good thing in my opinion. Would the tabloid and Paparazzi culture exist? I hope not. However I can see powerful news organizations opposing TnT but not in the way of the sesnationalists of today.